Random "Limited or No Connectivity" on different wireless laptops

[CHR1S]

Just recently I have started to get odd limited or no connectivity issues on some laptops. Seems that if X laptop gets turned on before Y laptop Y wont connect. Can SIDs affect the authentication process of a WAP? Or could there be another issue that isnt anything to do with the WAP (DNS?)?

 

I dont see any duplicate IP warnings or anything just the flat refusal to join the wireless network and the assignment of a generic IP address.

[CHR1S]

Well I connected it via a patch cable and it connected to the wireless instantly and every time after that.... bizarre!

 

Anyone know whats up with it?

[Michael]

I presume you've tried rebooting the APs? Do you have MAC Address security enabled? Alternatively resetting the AP completely to factory defaults and re-configuring the network and security information can cure problems.

 

I'd always recommend you using signed wireless drivers. Are the laptops (if the same) based on the same image?

[CHR1S]

Rebooted the AP, no MAC security, latest drivers.

 

Yes the laptops are imaged (not by me tho) and I assume they were sysprepped.

Worth generating a new SID for them?

[CHR1S]

Grrr, its just repeating the same pattern.

 

Refuse to connect > Plug in cable > Connect to wirless > last a while > strop > repeat

 

They key bit is the fact of the split second the cable is plugged in the wireless connects.

 

[Michael]

They key bit is the fact of the split second the cable is plugged in the wireless connects.

 

I'm trying to think why this is. I don't think the problem is DNS or computer SID related. If you logon locally to the laptop do you just get an exclamation mark on your wireless icon? What type of authentication are you using?

 

As an experiment create a secondary SSID on the same AP but allocate no security to it. Connect the laptop to it then reboot. If it works, wireless is OK, the AP is OK and you can narrow it down to an authentication problem.

[CHR1S]

If you logon locally to the laptop do you just get an exclamation mark on your wireless icon? What type of authentication are you using?

 

As an experiment create a secondary SSID on the same AP but allocate no security to it. Connect the laptop to it then reboot. If it works, wireless is OK, the AP is OK and you can narrow it down to an authentication problem.

 

Were using WPA2-Personal/AES and yes once logged in locally I see the exclamation.

[CHR1S]

With a test SSID and no security I get the same issues.

[Michael]

Hmm interesting... well I would reset the AP to factory default and re-configure settings. If possible upgrade the firmware is there's an update too.

[TechSupp]

Hmmm...got that on one laptop so not a great issue. Thought it was just me or a coincidence that the wireless managed to get an ip just after I gave up and connected the lan cable! Will look in to it a bit further, may have to check for upgrades to the driver as its a PMCIA netgear card as the one inbuilt in the Panasonic Toughbook seems to have died and if its enabled as soon as it tries to connect the laptop just bluescreens and reboots even after a complete reinstall so it was not software! Disable card and its OK,

[CHR1S]

So, I've flashed the AP (Cisco WAP4410N) and after a farce trying to figure out why it retained all its settings but decided that it wouldnt get an IP via DHCP so reverted to 192.168 address.

 

It seems to be working now under testing condtions, Ill wait till the kids get their hands on them before I reserve judgement

[CHR1S]

Wooo, they all logged on properly and seem to be working fine.... *Keeps Fingers Crossed*

 

Thanks All

[CHR1S]

Grrr, one PC has started to do this again..... im getting stressed now

[jsnetman]

Since summer last year I have been getting intermittent problems with xp sp3 on wireless with offline files enabled, tried everything and to no avail. Took the drastic route and installed win7 on laptops and problem solved. Not sure if it is something in sp3 on xp causing this but slt took my advice to move onto 7. Edited March 11, 2010 by jsnetman

[CHR1S]

This is only a recent problem, so I can only assume an update has messed with it as its the same hardware as before.

[ricki]

Hi

 

Are you using windows to manage the wifi on your machine or the manufactures driver. With a lot of manufacturers drivers you have to log on before the wifi will work which is not a lot of good.

 

Try downloading the driver and unpack it.

 

Uninstall the package from the laptop.

 

Now get windows to detect the hardware. When it finds the hardware point to the location of the driver.

 

Once it is installed, reboot the machine and log onto the laptop locally and try and connect to the access point and put your key in.

 

Reboot the machine and see if the wifi starts to work after a couple of mins you should be able to see the wifi symbol light.

 

Try and log onto the domain.

 

Richard

[CHR1S]

Hi Richard,

 

Its all done via Zero Config.

[CHR1S]

After going back to it now (Been PAT tested) its logging on with no issues. AP has been restarted tho, again because of PAT test. Its like the AP thinks there are 2 laptops who both think they are one and depending on the order they connect refuses one. But under these circumstances I would expect an IP conflict error tho.

 

Im assuming its the AP causing the issue and not something further up refusing the connection?

[broc]

I found this helpful when dealing with a similar problem last year....

 

Troubleshooting IEEE 802.11 Wireless Access with Microsoft Windows

 

I ran the netsh ras tracing command (as recommended by the above link) and the logs it created were instrumental in solving our problems. It showed an error (I cannot remember exactly what) but Google found the answer for me.

 

In our case we were getting into a chicken or egg situation where the computer account password for the client PC had expired, so the client PC was trying to initiate a password change but didn't have a viable network connection. Plugging in a cable allowed the password change to complete & then the wireless connection was successful. I changed the domain policy for the no. days before a computer account expires from 30 to something bigger & the problems vanished.

 

We are using a 3Com managed wireless network with Radius for authentication ....

Edited March 11, 2010 by broc

[ArchersIT]

It sounds like we have a similar setup and we have been having odd problems since around half term (15th Feb). For us this is mainly affecting the older access points and we had several short power cuts durign half term so we have been wondering if the APs had been fried.

 

You mentioning updates made me realise that we did the February patches around that time... perhaps one of them could be the culprit.

 

I dont have a solution yet, but maybe we are having the same problem....

 

Jonathan

[CHR1S]

Further testing has proved me right, there are only 2 laptops affected. Whichever gets its connection first that works and the other wont. And either work fine on their own.

 

Ill try the net sh bit once the kids go.

 

Thanks again all

[Michael]

Even better just re-image one of them completely and you should be fine then. To be honest it sounds like you've had a combination of problems which makes it harder to fix.

[Pottsey]

We have been getting the exact same thing. Some laptops randomly get "Limited or No Connectivity". They will work one hour then not the next. It seems to be some sort of DHCP problem as when effect they get a default IP address. As far as I can see the only change has been some windows updates and its only older laptops that are affected. I gave some of the laptops a static IP address which fixed the problem but some need to be on DHCP due to changeing networks.

[CHR1S]

Thats got to be the simplest solution, default IP! Thanks Pottsey was staring me right in the face all along